These Sour Cream Donuts are a dreamy blend of fluffy, tender dough and rich, tangy flavor that melts in your mouth. With a golden, crisp exterior and a soft, pillowy center, each bite is pure indulgence. The secret? A touch of sour cream that adds moisture and a subtle depth to the dough. Perfectly sweetened and ready in just over an hour, they’re worth every minute of chilling and frying.
Whether you’re craving a classic treat or a show-stopping dessert, these donuts deliver. Coated in a glossy glaze or dusted with sugar, they’re irresistibly decadent yet surprisingly simple to make. Share them fresh from the fryer for a warm, comforting experience that’s sure to delight. Don’t forget the video guide for foolproof results!
Delicious Sour Cream Donuts Ingredients
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- Vegetable or Canola Oil: For frying (ensure you have enough to fill a Dutch oven 2-3 inches deep)
- 3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter: Softened
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar: Granulated
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar: Packed
- 2 large egg yolks: At room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract: Pure extract for best flavor
⅔ cup (160 g) sour cream: Full-fat recommended
2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (267 g) all-purpose flour: Spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder: Ensure it’s fresh for best results
1 Tablespoon cornstarch: Helps create a tender texture
½ teaspoon salt: Fine sea salt or table salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg: Optional, but adds a warm flavor
For the Glaze:
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- 1 ½ cups (185 g) powdered sugar: Sifted for smoothness
¼ cup (57 g) salted butter: Melted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract: Pure extract preferred
1 ½-2 Tablespoons hot water: Adjust for desired consistency
Step-by-Step Sour Cream Donut Instructions
- Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla and sour cream until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg) in a separate bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients using a spatula until just mixed (do not overmix).
- Chill dough covered in plastic wrap for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface to ½” thickness and cut with a donut cutter.
- Chill cut donuts on a wax paper-lined sheet while heating oil to 350猎F (175猎C).
- Prepare glaze by whisking melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and hot water until smooth.
- Fry donuts in batches of 3-4 for 1-1½ minutes per side, maintaining oil temperature.
- Drain on paper towels, then dip warm donuts in glaze.
- Cool on rack until glaze sets, then enjoy immediately for best flavor.
Storage tip: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Best served warm!
Perfect Pairings: Sauce and Topping Ideas
While the classic glaze is delicious, you can elevate your sour cream donuts with creative toppings. Try a chocolate ganache made with ½ cup heavy cream and 1 cup chocolate chips, or a cinnamon sugar coating (mix ½ cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon). For a fruity twist, drizzle with a raspberry glaze by blending 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons raspberry jam.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store your donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To revive their freshness, warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry them out. For longer storage, freeze unglazed donuts in a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month.
Time-Saving Hacks for Busy Bakers
Short on time? Skip the chilling step by placing the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes instead of the fridge for an hour. Use a preheated oven at 375°F to bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes if frying isn’t an option. For quicker cleanup, line your work surface with parchment paper before rolling out the dough.
Equipment Guidance for Donut Success
If you don’t have a donut cutter, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter and a small bottle cap for the center hole. A candy thermometer is essential for maintaining the oil temperature, but if you don’t have one, test the oil by dropping a small piece of dough—it should sizzle and float to the top. A Dutch oven works best for frying, but a deep skillet will do in a pinch.
Common Questions Answered
Can I use full-fat yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes, it’s a great substitute! Why chill the dough? Chilling helps the dough hold its shape during frying.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend, but note the texture may vary slightly.
What if I don’t have cornstarch?
you can omit it, but it helps create a tender crumb.
Sour Cream Donuts (with Video!)
Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 42 g
- ¼ cup sugar 50 g
- ¼ cup brown sugar 50 g
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup sour cream 160 g
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 267 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 185 g
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted 57 g
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½-2 Tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamed together.
- Add egg yolks and beat until ingredients are well combined.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream and stir well (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if using a stand mixer).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and nutmeg (if using).
- Add dry ingredients to wet and use a spatula and stir by hand until ingredients are combined (I don’t recommend using your electric mixer at this point, you don’t want to over-work the ingredients or it can make your donuts tough).
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Once dough has chilled, remove from refrigerator and turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll to about ½” thickness and use a donut cutter to cut out donuts (save the holes, I always fry the donut holes as well!).
- Re-group any scraps and work them together, re-roll out, and repeat to cut out as many donuts as possible from your dough.
- Transfer cut out donut shapes to a wax paper lined cookie sheet and return to the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while you heat your oil.
- While dough is chilling, fill a Dutch oven at least 2-3″ deep with canola or vegetable oil. Fix a candy thermometer to the edge (make sure it is in the oil but not touching the bottom of the pan) and set your heat to medium-low. Oil will need to reach 350-360F (175-185C) before you can continue. Meanwhile, prepare your glaze.
- To prepare the glaze, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and hot water in a small bowl and whisk or stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Once oil has reached 350-360F (175-185C), remove donuts from the refrigerator and use tongs to carefully transfer donuts or donut holes in the oil, just 3 or 4 at a time. Adding donuts will cause your oil temperature to drop, so make sure you allow it to come back to the correct temperature between batches.
- Allow to cook for about 1-1 ½ minutes and then use tongs to flip. Cook another 1-1 ½ minutes and then use tongs to remove them from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool 1-5 minutes.
- Dip donuts in prepared glaze and then transfer to a cooling rack to allow the glaze to set.
- Enjoy warm. Donuts will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature, but they really taste best warm and freshly fried.